The Ravens’ new id must be the identical because the previous one.
They have to construct round their working recreation, and it was by no means extra evident than Sunday evening after a 20-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
The Ravens introduced in new offensive coordinator Todd Monken in February to interchange Greg Roman, and he was anticipated to present the unit a face-lift for the 2023 season. Check. But because the Ravens enter December because the No. 1 seed within the AFC and are eyeing a first-round bye and home-field benefit within the postseason, they should discover out what they do the most effective and construct round it.
That’s run the soccer.
The Ravens introduced in established extensive receivers corresponding to Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor through the offseason after which drafted Zay Flowers within the first spherical in April to jazz up the offense, however their most reliable weapons are working backs Gus Edwards, Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell and quarterback Lamar Jackson.
I’m not speaking about Jackson as a passer, however as a runner, as a result of he’s one other weapon within the working recreation.
Against the Chargers, Mitchell had 9 carries for 64 yards adopted by Jackson (11 carries for 39 yards), Hill (5 for 31) and Edwards (8 for 26). They had inside and outside weapons and Jackson working choice performs and run-pass choices. In the second half, they began carrying the Chargers down, and by the fourth quarter, Los Angeles had nearly surrendered.
The Ravens’ passing recreation isn’t so reliable.
Both offensive tackles, Morgan Moses and Ronnie Stanley, have struggled in go safety and neither might deal with Los Angeles edge rusher Khalil Mack on Sunday evening. That’s nothing to be ashamed of, however each have had bother defending Jackson all season. Stanley isn’t the Pro Bowl participant he as soon as was earlier than having a number of ankle surgical procedures and Moses is significantly better at run blocking, particularly pulling and attending to the perimeter.
Then there may be the Jackson issue. He is best together with his preliminary reads and getting the ball to his receivers rapidly, which is why the Ravens labored so laborious on fast releases in coaching camp. But when Jackson is pressured and might’t escape the pocket, he panics and struggles to work by means of his progressions. It wasn’t an issue that instantly developed Sunday evening, however an space by which he has struggled for six years.
The Ravens are profitable working these fast slants to Beckham or the fast turn-ins to Rashod Bateman. They are good at getting Flowers and tight finish Isaiah Likely the ball rapidly in house as a result of they’re elusive and explosive. Those are simple completions, however Jackson nonetheless struggles to throw the ball deep and out of doors the numbers.
That brings us again to the working recreation.
When he first turned the offensive coordinator, Monken stated he needed to assault all the discipline. Well, the working recreation provides him all of the choices.
Mitchell has nice pace and burst. Edwards is the facility again inside. Hill is the third-down weapon out of the backfield in passing conditions and confirmed Sunday that he can run with energy contained in the crimson zone. Jackson can rating from wherever on the sphere.
On the offensive line, each Moses and Stanley are agile and capable of get downfield. Guards John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler can pull or knock gamers off the ball, and second-year participant Tyler Linderbaum has change into probably the greatest and most versatile facilities within the NFL.
The Ravens need versatility, they usually have that to a level. Opposing groups must respect Beckham and tight finish Mark Andrews if he returns from a extreme ankle damage he suffered Nov. 16 towards the Bengals. But the passing recreation is extra window dressing than the rest as a result of the Ravens run the ball extraordinarily effectively.
It’s laborious to rely upon an inconsistent quarterback and offensive tackles who wrestle to maintain that man upright, however it’s nice to have a robust working recreation to construct round. Combined with one of many league’s prime defenses, that’s been a profitable method within the NFL for many years.
Of course, occasions have modified and the league is supposedly pass-happy, however that is the time of the 12 months when groups begin to discover their id. For the Ravens, it’s the identical as their previous one.
They have extra stability now, however the philosophy must be the identical: Run the ball.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com